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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Western NSW
    Posts
    543

    Default Precision measurement

    Its just too hot here to do anything outside, so I thought I'll bring some stuff down from the shed to play with in the house.

    Some years ago I brought a laser interferometer at the Broens engineering auction in Sydney. Broens was a huge concern and made parts for the F35 strike fighter along with other high end customers. I don't know what happened but it looked like it closed very suddenly. Anyway I brought a number of fantastic pieces from this sale. One of which was the laser interferometer. Luckily it was very poorly described and photographed so it was not obvious without very close inspection what it was. Because of this it went very cheaply. Luckily it was complete with the optics for distance measurement,angle measurement and flatness. I did play with it a bit when I first got it but since I have been building the shed it has sat in a cupboard. It came in 3 big travel cases which have started to get the dreaded foam cancer so I decided to take them out and clean the pieces and remove the deteriorating foam. But of course had a good play and everything still seems to work fine. Here are some pictures

    IMG_2118.jpg

    IMG_2117.jpg I did goggle what that would be in todays money and it came back at $154,000!!

    IMG_2114.jpg

    IMG_2115.jpg

    IMG_2116.jpg

    IMG_2119.jpg

    IMG_2120.jpg The resolution is 0.01 micron or 1 microinch

    IMG_2121.jpg The other thing I brought down was some long series guage blocks. This set goes to 1000mm. Wanted to check the rust proofing paper.

    IMG_2123.jpg

    IMG_2122.jpg


    Hope you enjoyed these pictures.
    Keep praying for rain
    Cheers

    Mark

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Newcastle, AU
    Posts
    238

    Default

    Wow, that's quite the find! Thanks for sharing those pics, that's really interesting (along with the receipt... $154k!)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southern Flinders Ranges
    Posts
    1,536

    Default

    I went to the Broens auction in Adelaide. All the metrology equipment sold for stupid money as did the smaller machines. It’s where the plates on top of my fixture table came from.
    Very nice piece of kit you picked up

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
    Posts
    292

    Default

    Now you are all set to calibrate your CNC mills and coordinate measuring machines.

    Pete

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Western NSW
    Posts
    543

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by QC Inspector View Post
    Now you are all set to calibrate your CNC mills and coordinate measuring machines.

    Pete

    Mainly brought it to calibrate my surface plates and to help set up the big planer and slideway grinder.

    Mark

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    sydney ( st marys )
    Age
    64
    Posts
    4,887

    Default

    In a climate controlled environment I would expect.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Western NSW
    Posts
    543

    Default

    Haha
    But seriously once the shed is finished I’ll hopefully show you what it is really used for. I have 4 granite and 2 cast iron surface plates to calibrate and some big machinery to level and install. Plus a few other jobs in the future
    But it has cooled down a bit today so off to work on the shed crane.
    cheers
    Mark

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    nowra
    Posts
    1,598

    Default

    That's interesting Mark. I have a mate who has the same laser inferometer. Hes repaired it but we are missing all optical reflectors to be able to do surface plate measurements. It turns out it's hard too find the missing reflectors.
    BETTER TO HAVE TOOLS YOU DON'T NEED THAN TO NEED TOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE

    Andre

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Western NSW
    Posts
    543

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by welder View Post
    That's interesting Mark. I have a mate who has the same laser inferometer. Hes repaired it but we are missing all optical reflectors to be able to do surface plate measurements. It turns out it's hard too find the missing reflectors.
    Hi Andre
    I would think hard if not impossible in Australia. There are some specialist shops in the USA that might have something but the cost would be significant. Will keep an eye out for your friend.
    Cheers
    Mark

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